Game Protest Brewing in California

[ajmc]

You are entitled to your perception of teamwork and how to support those who work with you. If you believe throwing a co-worker "under the bus", which is exactly what pointing out a fellow official to an irate coach, on the field, during a game in the heat of the moment basically amounts to, that is certainly your perogative.

If your rationalization concludes that is honorable behavior, that's entirely up to you, and on you. It seems odd, or at least troubling, that with so little actual detail, so many are so eager to assume the very worst of all possibilities up to and including some that are imaginable.

Common sense would suggest that if after the play, none of the game officials acknowledged blowing a whistle, the rational decision would then be that no whistle had been blown, and the play would stand, as completed.

Apparently you have been fortunate in yet to work a game with an IW. If you had, you would understand what "picking up the official" who blew one is all about and how important it is, to everyone, to help that official shake off the lasting effects of his mistake as quickly as possible.

Understandably, given the circumstances and timing of this incident, coaches, players, and fans were likely "concerned" with the chain of events, and it seems, in that environment, singling out one individual as the sole target for all that "concern" would accomplish absolutely NOTHING positive.

You presume the official making that mistake did not own up to it to his partners, and I have no idea how, or more importantly why, you would make that presumption since, as stated above, in the absence of confirmation that a whistle was blown, presuming there was a whistle seems like an unusual conclusion.

We all are experienced in dealing with how utterly foolish people make them themselves look, when they insist on staking out positions without sufficient knowledge of the facts, rules or circumstances to know what they are talking about. Somehow, come playoff time, a lot of us completely forget all that experience and rush to conclusions based on tidbits from news reports, comments from emotional coaches, administrators, players and fans.

Do the guys who work with you and count on your support know you feel this way?